The Zoo in You

[Todd Abrahams]

For a week Todd Abrahams had talked of very little but school -- seeing the dormitories, being across the country from home, meeting other mutants, taking new classes; how hard the new classes would be, and whether he'd have lots of homework. He had written extensive emails to his parents, who were still somewhere in Serbia and incommunicado. Andrew, his cousin, was mutinously fed up after being told over and over again just how incredible the Cullen's Institute was.

"And it's for gifted youths, Andy." Todd gloated one afternoon as he lobbed a baseball towards his cousin. "Not just some yankee doodle public school with a bunch of no-brains."

Andy, who himself attended a yankee doodle public school filled with no-brains, whipped the ball back so hard it almost knocked Makepeace (honestly, what kind of freak went everywhere with a squirrel?) off Todd's shoulder. "Then how come they're letting you in?"

His cousin just ducked and grinned.

Todd had decided (decreed, really) that even though his family would drive him to the school, he was going in alone. Aunt Rachel had made a fuss about that but Uncle Peter had luckily intervened, saying that the boy was old enough to get himself settled in, fer hell's sake.

Which was how Todd Abrahams came to be dragging two enormous duffel bags into the lobby of the imposing school, a tiny furred rodent perched on his shoulder. He was a skinny, unremarkable figure; the most memorable thing about the boy was his hair, which seemed to have a life of it's own and spiralled every which way. Panting, he let go of the bags which dropped with a resounding thud on the floor.

Todd straightened instantly, tight as a coiled spring, and looked left, right, up, down, left again--what was that noise? what was it, what was it?--his nose twitching as it was bombarded with unfamiliar scents. The grey squirrel shimmied around his neck to the opposite shoulder, where it assumed an identicle position. They stood there, poised.

"Easy Makepeace," Todd reached up to stroke the little animal, his brown eyes darting around in surveillance. "Big, isn't it?"

[Nuro Alston]

Nuro had been everywhere the last few weeks. The campus had become like home, and thought wasn't even necessary in his walks down the hall. Instead of running his eyes across a list in search for a section, or feeling a map, he waltz the school with his ears tuned to his iPod and mind elsewhere.

Maybe that was why he didn't notice the newcommer. The boy was standing there, staring off somewhere else, while he bumped into him, nearly throwing Nuro to the floor. If it wasn't for his instincts, he would have been flat on the ground, but instead his hand caught him as the ground was prepared to meet him.

To say the least, Nuro was a bit surprise. He kept his cool though. No rants, or rave about how stupid the kid was standing there in his way. Instead, he said something more to the effect of...

"Now aint dat pleasant..."

[Todd Abrahams]

Makepeace flipped.

The furred creature let fly a string of startled chits and squeaks as the guy rammed into them, leaping from Todd's shoulder to the top of his head, where he started trying to burrow in his hair.

Yelping, Todd threw his arms up in an attempt to grab the little furball before he hit skull. "Ow! Hey! Make' buddy, chill--ergh, knock it off! Wha--oof!"

In the middle of his wriggling dance, the boy tripped over Nuro which sent him sprawling into his bags and onto the floor. Almost immediately he jumped to his feet, muscles twitching.

"Ouch." Todd muttered, rubbing his elbow in quick, jerky movements. After a moments perusal, he offered Nuro a hand to help him up. "Jeez, Bro, you gotta watch where you're goin'."

Makepeace parted his hair and peered out, chirruping irritably.

[Nuro Alston]

Before a blink Nuro took the offering hand, and was on his feet brushing himself off. A calm grin came to his face as he gander down at the deer in the road. A chipmunk was on the new-guys shoulder, but with a few weeks at the Institute behind him, he had seen weirder.

"...Ya--ya--so y'new 'ere, right? Aint seen u befo'..."

[Todd Abrahams]

"Nah I ain't new, I just like to drag a couple of suitcases wherever I go." Todd eased his squirrel companion down from his perch and cradled him in the crook of an elbow, where he was less likely to become agitated.

A wide grin split the young man's face. "Just joshin' with ya. Yeah I'm new, I just got here like, two seconds ago. Gotta tell you man, didn't expect to get knocked around until at least my second day."

[Nuro Alston]

A tilt of the head, and a smile was all Nuro gave in response. His eyes had found the squirrel once more, studying it for a matter of seconds before retraining his eyes on the owner. Personally, Nuro was never really comfortable with nature. He was a city kid, and hadn't even been to the beach before.

"Well y'lucky--I was hit befo' I even stepped on campus," he chuckled. Hands stuffed into his pockets, he twisted about, "Whatcha waitin' in d'hall fo' anyway--b'cuz I'll show y'where ya need'ta go."

[Todd Abrahams]

"Eyein' the place out is all." Todd shrugged and then bent to pick up his bags once more, sliding one to Nuro. He copped a toothy grin. "'Least you can do is help me with my bags, dude."

Makepeace gripped the thin cotton of the boy's undershirt, half-hiding in the button overlay that Todd wore, which freed his hands to heft the bag into a shoulder. He motioned for Nuro to lead the way.

"So show me, bro. Hey, maybe we'll run into my sister," Todd was a little confused that she hadn't been waiting for him. Tess was a bossy nuisance and he'd been sure she would have greeted him with an itinerary that accounted for every last milisecond of his first day. "She goes here."

[Nuro Alston]

Nuro was off to the gym, but it could wait. His personality was more apt to finding a friendly face in the crowd, called Cullen's Institute, than pushing a few bars off his chest. Truth was, he had grown a bit lonely in the very halls he had become comfortable enough with to walk basically blindfolded in. He didn't like being comfortable in loneliness...it was spooky.

So, with little heed he took the bag and held it so that it dangled over his back. A quick glance shifted his focus from the boy to a new route through the hall. Although his eyes were elsewhere, his ears were still laced to the newcommer's every word.

"Tess--neva' 'eard of her name befo'....

Actually, I haven't heard yours eitha--Whatcha name, now?" He asked, walking down the hall toward the counseling office. It was a building away, so there was far too much room to get familiar with this nobody that came out of nowhere to change his plans.

Hopefully he'd get to meet this sister. And hopefully she was cute. One track mind for the 18 year old mutant known the most of Cullen's as the Haitian boy.

[Todd Abrahams]

The guy must have been one of those telepaths, because Todd hadn't even mentioned his sister's name. The boy's eyebrows rose for a moment, before he spazzed to the left to avoid bumping into a passing student.

"Jeez, this place needs crosswalks or something." Todd muttered before grinning and pointing a finger nto his chest. "I'm Todd."

He jabbed towards Makepeace, who chittered and tried to grab him. "This here is Makepeace."

The finger continued it's migration and pointed at Nuro meaningfully. "And you, don't even think about macking on my sister."

His brotherly obligations fulfilled, Todd let himself be shown to the dormitories where a student aide found his name on a registrar and showed him where he was staying. The boy tossed his bags in uncerimoniously. Unpacking was boring and could be done as he needed clothes.

"I haven't eaten anything in like, an hour." Todd grimaced. "I know where my bed is, now all I need is the chow house. Can we move this tour on in that direction, Kimosabe?"

[Nuro Alston]

A chuckle sorted out the brotherly obligation. Of course, as a brother, he had to say that. Hopefully the point wouldn't stand. As a man - check that, a young man - he had obligations, as well. Plus, his objectives had already been set. After a travel to the dorm area, he glanced about for some food.

It was almost too much of a coincidence that the boy was also hungry. "Aiite--lets go," he remarked, hands digging into his pockets. Most of the time Nuro didn't meddle with the cafeteria food. Yet, people could be found grabbing up food, so he was always around. Recently he had taken up the vegan lifestyle, so all the goodies that everyone ate he couldn't even sample.

In spite of it all, the workers did have a few nice vegeterian meals that could chow down on. So, with little heed he led Todd off.

"By d'way--I'm Nor-o. Its Amharic," he said, slowing down his pace to walk along side the squirrel owner. "So, why'd ya end up 'ere? Followin' ya sista?"



((OOC: New Power! Name Telepath, haha. A mistake I didn't notice.))

[Todd Abrahams]

"I'm not like, following her." The last thing he wanted was a reputation as an apron-clinger. Todd shrugged. "We both just happen to be mutants and this place happens to be like the only school made for us. So, you know. Here I am."

They strolled into the cafeteria and Todd inhaled deeply, a look of ecstasy coming over his face. The boy headed straight for the cheeseburgers. Before he placed any on his tray he glanced around, checking to make sure that Tess wasn't nearby; If his mother or sister ever found out about the midnight trips to Wendy's that he and his dad made, or the secret stash of Slim Jim's under his mattress, Todd wasn't sure either of them would survive the aftermath.

the coast was clear. Without waiting to get to the end of the line, Todd took a giant bite and moaned. Oh God it was good. He put a second burger on his tray, and a cardboard boat of fries.

"Ya wa' anyfing Nu'o?" He said around a mouthful of beef, gesturing to the hot lunches.

[Nuro Alston]

The boy was a silly one. Nuro could little other than chuckle as he watched the hungry one take a giant bite out of his goodies. The chessburger leaked of all sorts of tasteful assortments, but he rather not meddle in the meat catergory.

Instead, he dwell on his own. Off to the side were some veggies he could munch on, a long with a nice little nectarine, so he threw it a plate. No words were need to confirm, Nuro just gave a pleasant not to Todd and strolled to the nearest table.

"C'mon, yo - so whats wit d'squirrel?"

[Todd Abrahams]

Todd was already starting on his second burger as he sat down across from Nuro. He cracked open a can of soda that had migrated it's way onto his tray, and took a long sip.

"C'mon, yo - so what's wit d'squirrel?"

At the question Todd's face lit up and he smiled proudly at the grey ball of fur, breaking off a bit of bun and passing it to the creature. Makepeace took it daintily in his two front paws. "Aw Makepeace is my little buddy. We rescued him from some kids who were trapping in the woods."

As if to confirm the boy's story, Makepeace curled up in the crook of Todd's neck, showing his one good leg and the stump where there had once been another. The squirrel nuzzled his human companion and then pushed the entire piece of bun into his mouth, balling it up in one cheek.

"'Sides, it's handy to have him around with a mutation like mine. I copy 'em - animals, I mean." Todd shoved half his burger into his mouth, and smiled.

[Nuro Alston]

Nuro paid careful attention to the furball. The little one seemed a bit clingy, but from Todd's story it seemed understandable. From the clash in the hall, though, the squirrel seemed to a bit fearful. For a second he riffed on the subject, wondering exactly what such a mutation entailed. Instead of go idle, and sit motionless like some sort of robot, he took a bite out of his meal.

On his plate were various vegetables. Most of them were bunched together in a nice, well-rounded salad. Nuro had not complaints, at least not yet. Every bite was delicious, and he showed it as Todd spoke of his mutation. Despite being enthrall with the taste, he kept his eyes up as he leaned over to snack away. After a quick swallow, he leaped back into the conversation.

"Ya copy dem? Like how--ya turn green and shapeshift into 'em o' somethin?"

For some odd reason, Nuro start imagining Todd in some purple and black tights, running a long with a grey gal hidden behind a purle hood and cape.

[Todd Abrahams]

"Not exactly." Todd grimaced as he swallowed without chewing enough. "Like, once I touch an animal I can... well, it's like borrowing. I can do stuff that they do."

He gestured at Makepeace. "Like Make' here. As long as he's around, I'm a champion climber and don't run short of energy."

A shrug signified that Todd didn't think it was all that big a deal. Slopping some ketchup onto his fries, he looked at Nuro. "How about you? Whatta you do?"

[Nuro Alston]

For a moment, Nuro thought. His expression played background to his mind, but it was scrunched up as his mind went to work. Billions of mental images flashed through of how Todd would go about touching Zoo animals, and go berserk. A series of episodes that involved trees, climbing, cages and breaking showed themselves to him.

Amazing and epic animal shirades would bring a quiet joy to the boy. Despite Todd's haircut, he wouldn't expect him going ape on anybody, but it certainly was interesting imaging it.Truly, Nuro's greatest power was his imagination, but he would keep most of it to himself.

Well...until he was tested.

"...Eeh imagination, I guess..."

[Todd Abrahams]

Todd raised his eyebrows. He wasn't sure what Nuro meant.

"I'm not sure what you mean, bro." The boy dusted fry debris from his hands, debating whether or not to get another burger or just wait until dinner. "You gotta mean somethin' wicked cool by that, 'cause every kid and his brother's got imagination.

So what, does yours like, come to life or something?" Todd grinned.

[Nuro Alston]

A side glance brought Nuro's eyes off to the side, as though extremely cautious off his words, before he found them back on Todd. A chuckle escaped him, as he thought on it. In the lull between Todd's confusion, to Nuro's explaination arose a smile. There was a confidence, and certainty to the young Haitian man that only his energy could depict completely. After a sigh, and lean back, he finally found it fitting to debrief the zoo boy.

"Well yea--basically...

I jus' need somethin' fo' my imagination to...sprout out of, yaknow?"

[Todd Abrahams]

He wasn't sure why the boy looked so cautious before describing his abilities - if there was one place where it was safe to be honest and forthcoming, it had to be Cullen's.

But Todd shrugged it off. To each their own.

"What do you mean, 'spring from'?" He queried, face curious. "Show me."

[Nuro Alston]

"Show you?"

A curious eyebrow raised as he stared at the boy. Slight doubt crept in, as well. Of course there had been many times his powers could have come to use, but he had always been overcatious about his escapades in Cullen's. The Institute was no play pretty, and his imagination could get...out of hand. Alchemy is a very awkward concept, and without a full grasp of his skills he had no advantages in using his powers. Plus, there was nothing romantically applicable...well, at least to his knowledge.

Yet, on second thought...

A sigh and chuckle wrestled his restraint, and unleased his prowess. In a flush of easiness, Nuro's brows relaxed, breathing calmed and muscles loosened. Then, in a mellow jolt of energy, he awakened and reached out. Dark matter overcame his hand as he grabbed onto Todd's plate. The plate was swarmed by the awkward, ink-like material before reforming into a lush, green, batch of roses. A smile pressed onto Nuro's face as he switched his focus off to a passing girl. The gal's name was Sharice, he had been trying to go out with her for weeks.

Everything else played out much to expectations. Nuro turned about, handed the flowers and she smiled. She said she was still busy with homework, but hopefully soon they could go out. Nuro was disappointed, as usual, but he covered with a nod, a smile and a wave. For the past few weeks he had been really down on his luck with the girls. Cullen's had not spelled well for his single life...at all!

"...There y'go...' Nuro said as he watched Sharice walk off.